1
: the act or action of breaking in
a rash of break-ins at the new apartment house
2
: a performance or a series of performances serving as a trial run
3
: an initial period of operation during which working parts begin to function efficiently
broke in; broken in; breaking in; breaks in
1
: to enter something (such as a building or computer system) without consent or by force
2
a
: intrude
break in upon his privacy
b
: to interrupt a conversation
3
: to start in an activity or enterprise
breaking in as a cub reporter
1
: to accustom to a certain activity or occurrence
break in the new clerk
2
: to overcome the stiffness or newness of
break in a pair of shoes
Examples of break-in in a Sentence
Verb
the burglars broke in by smashing a window
he rudely broke in to drop the names of several celebrities that he had met
Recent Examples on the Web
Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
The two most recent break-ins struck downtown businesses yet again in the early morning hours on Wednesday.
—Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
Wild forward Nico Sturm has been breaking in his Team Germany skates at a few Minnesota practices, and joked about hiding his on-ice moves from NHL teammates that may be foes in Italy.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break-in
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Noun
That included a 58% drop in vehicle break-ins at Mount Bonnell, a popular Austin park.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
The two most recent break-ins struck downtown businesses yet again in the early morning hours on Wednesday.
—Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
The options clearly aren’t as bountiful as a normal Sunday, since many concert arenas and other fun spots bow to the awe-inspiring draw of the NFL — and those fun TV ads that are shown during the break in the action — and just close their doors each year on this day.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
Wild forward Nico Sturm has been breaking in his Team Germany skates at a few Minnesota practices, and joked about hiding his on-ice moves from NHL teammates that may be foes in Italy.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break-in
Cite this Entry
“Break-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break-in. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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